Medical Students

Internal Medicine Interest Group of the Month: Louisiana State University, New Orleans

The Internal Medicine Interest Group at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans was founded in 1999. The group was named the Edgar Hull Society in 2000 to honor the late Dr. Edgar Hull, past chairman of LSU’s Department of Medicine and renowned physician, professor of medicine, and cardiologist.

The mission of the Edgar Hull Society is to provide medical students with information about internal medicine and its subspecialties, to expose students to physicians in the field of internal medicine, and to provide an opportunity for students to learn, network, and relax together.

Under the guidance of Fred Lopez, MD, FACP and Charles Sanders, MD, MACP, the Edgar Hull Society has grown tremendously in recent years and now occupies a place among the largest campus organizations. Meetings are held monthly featuring speakers who discuss their experiences in the field of internal medicine. Past meetings have covered topics from general internal medicine, cardiology, hospitalist medicine, gastroenterology, student research opportunities, and case presentations that bring the Morning Report experience to first and second year students. These meetings give students opportunities to meet local physicians and ask candid questions about their training and careers. Students have also been invited to observe procedures in both cardiology and gastroenterology. In addition, Dr. Sanders and his wife host an annual party, "A Taste of New Orleans," for senior medical students who intend to pursue internal medicine residencies.

The Edgar Hull Society has actively participated in organized internal medicine on a national level by promoting membership in the American College of Physicians. In January 2009, 60% of LSU New Orleans’ student body was registered as Medical Student Members of ACP. This past year, Edgar Hull members were invited to participate in the Louisiana – Mississippi ACP regional meeting held in New Orleans, a meeting which attracted more than 150 ACP Fellows, Members, and Associates.

During the 2008-2009 school year, members of Edgar Hull elected two seniors as co-presidents: me and Nathan Ranney. Nathan and I took turns planning meetings and organizing events. We wanted to get students interested in internal medicine as early as first year and organized meetings around the first and second year test schedules. Having two seniors serve as co-presidents worked very well and this concept has continued with the election of Ana Paunovic and Matt Finn as the 2009-2010 co-presidents.

As the Edgar Hull society continues to grow, we hope to attract many more students to a career in internal medicine and its subspecialties.